Obama '08?

@Advocate,

Advocate wrote:

Obama traveled to Denmark because other competing heads of state went there.

I do think it's significant that he is the FIRST sitting US President to ever personally visit to lobby for an American city getting the Olympics.

I don't care that other heads of state wish to do whatever it is they wish to do. The President of the United States carries a significance that other heads of state do not have (for better or worse).

2 Replies

@maporsche,

maporsche wrote:

I don't care that other heads of state wish to do whatever it is they wish to do. The President of the United States carries a significance that other heads of state do not have (for better or worse).

An over-head of state?

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

You disagree with my post (re: the office of President of the United States)?

1 Reply

@maporsche,

Well, I disagree with this. The Prez of the US is not First among Equals.

Cycloptichorn

1 Reply

@Cycloptichorn,

Please.

It's like saying that the CEO of Walmart is on equal footing with the CEO of Pete's Grocery.

1 Reply

@maporsche,

maporsche wrote:

Please.

It's like saying that the CEO of Walmart is on equal footing with the CEO of Pete's Grocery.

It depends on what you are measuring them in. The problem is that you seem to be assuming that the Olympic location is or should be determined by: Country size, wealth, influence, military might. Others seem to feel differently, and when different metrics are taken into account, the US is not any more attractive than other countries.

The CEO of Walmart and Pete's grocery are on equal footing - in a foot race. In a car race. In a math test. In an appearance on Jeopardy. In wooing women. In fact, there is only one area where they are unequal, and that's power brought about by wealth. It's erroneous to believe that this is the only thing that matters in life or our world.

Cycloptichorn

0 Replies

@maporsche,

Usually, the head of states go there promoting the town/city which within their country and which wants to get the Olympics games.

That has nothing at all to do with the seize of the country they head.

On the other hand, do you have(know of a protocol list which ranks the various heads of states according to .... whatever?

2 Replies

@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

Usually, the head of states go there promoting the town/city which within their country and which wants to get the Olympics games.

That has nothing at all to do with the seize of the country they head.

On the other hand, do you have(know of a protocol list which ranks the various heads of states according to .... whatever?

Here's the list, to most Americans -

1. Good ol' US of A
2. Everyone else - combined

Cycloptichorn

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

Usually, the head of states go there promoting the town/city which within their country and which wants to get the Olympics games.

This is very unusual for the United States.

In fact, it's UNPRECEDENTED.

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@Cycloptichorn,

Cycloptichorn wrote:

Here's the list, to most Americans -

1. Good ol' US of A
2. Everyone else - combined

I'd be dollars to pesos that this same sentiment would be true of any country in the world (replace USA with their home country).

Not to say that they'd be correct (nor am I saying that Americans are correct), but the sentiment would be true, world wide.

1 Reply

@maporsche,

maporsche wrote:

I'd be dollars to pesos that this same sentiment would be true of any country in the world (replace USA with their home country).

Not to say that they'd be correct (nor am I saying that Americans are correct), but the sentiment would be true, world wide.

I doubt that.

I don't know from how many countries you know that, but in none of the numerous countries I've visted I've noticed such. Besides in the USA, by some.

0 Replies

Denver was awarded the 1976 Winter Olympics. But after Colorado residents voted to ban state funding from being put to the games, the IOC moved it " the only time a winning city has turned back the games. Remind me -- who was President then? What was the world attitude towards the US?

The 2014 Winter Olympics is Sochi, Russia. No American city was even on the short list. Remind me. Who was president then?

2 Replies

@Lightwizard,

Quote:

the only time a winning city has turned back the games

true...kinda

Quote:

The city of Chicago had won the original bid to host the 1904 Summer Olympics, but the organizers of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis would not accept another international event in the same time frame.

The exposition organization began to plan for its own sports activities, informing the Chicago OCOG that its own international sports events intended to eclipse the Olympic Games unless they were moved to St. Louis. Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement, gave in and awarded the games to St. Louis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904_Summer_Olympics

1 Reply

@Lightwizard,

Does this refute anything that I've said??? Or is this in reference to something else?

1 Reply

@hawkeye10,

I was referring to the Winter games but if you want to get technical -- it stayed in the US.

Beijing's rivals to host the Games in 2008 were Istanbul ( Turkey), Osaka (Japan), Paris (France) and Toronto (Canada). The US didn't even make the short list. Who was president then and what was the world attitude towards the US?

Have you had your coffee this morning maporsche?

2 Replies

@Lightwizard,

OK...

It is gloating time I see

Quote:

"I was very happy that Obama came, we needed Obama to come because we knew we would win with him here - we did not want any excuses," said Nuzman.

Nuzman also agreed that having all four heads of state present has permanently altered the shape of IOC elections, but remained adamant only President Lula was a genuinely active member of the bidding process.

"Everything is going to change for the next bids," he added. "But Lula was working with us for the last two years.

"The difference for us was that we had a head of state who knew everything about the project - the other three, with all my respect, did not

http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/121st-ioc-session/036512-nuzman-we-needed-obama-come-ioc-vote

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@Lightwizard,

Lightwizard wrote:

Have you had your coffee this morning maporsche?

I have; I'm just curious if you were responding to my post about Obama's presence being uprecedented and very unique for America, or if you were talking about something else.

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@revel,

You know revel, sometimes it might be a smart thing to actually read posts before you comment on them.

I don't believe george crowed over Chicago losing its bid and I know I didn't. I also didn't fault Obama for making the effort. So what the hell are you talking about?

The fact of the matter is that about half of Chicago didn't want the city to win its bid. I guess they hate Chicago and America. And enjoying the fact that the "ME" couple, Michelle and Barrack were unable to persuade the very European elites who are supposed to love them, that the wonderful significance of the Obamas required them to select Chicago may be schadenfreund but it's hardly treason.

How ironic to see Libs playing the "patriot card" they wailed was so foul whenever played on them.

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@Diest TKO,

I gues that was a nice try at a recovery, but no cigar

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@Francis,

One has to be seriously humor challenged to not get maporche's joke.

Oh wait, you profess to be French --- that explains it.

0 Replies

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